Sony announced the new Cyber-Shot DSC-TX1 slim digital camera that is equipped with the Exmor R back-illuminated CMOS sensor, which is optimizes for low-light shooting. The Sony TX1 gets a 10.2 Megapixel sensor, a 4x zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, a 3-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus display.
Sporting an ultra-thin body, a 3" touch screen and phenomenal imaging technology, the Sony Cyber-shot DCS-TX1 digital camera delivers high-quality photos (and 720p HD video) in high-fashion style. A Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens and Sony TX1's new "Exmor R" CMOS Sensor works in combination with the BIONZ image processor for super-fast processing to make it easy to get the best shot.
$50.00 Cash back from Sony ends 31/12/2009 Conditions apply see www.sony.com.au
The Sony DSC-TX1 is one of the first Sony Cyber-shot digital still camera to feature a back-illuminated 'Exmor R' CMOS image sensor. Most current imagers used in digital cameras are front-illuminated, meaning that light must pass through a metal wiring layer before arriving at the photodiodes. A significant portion of the light is blocked by this wiring layer, and hence the ability of the sensor to gather light is reduced. By contrast, back-illuminated sensors place the wiring layer below the photodiodes, enabling more light to be collected. This improvement, says Sony, means a 200% increase in the sensitivity of its Exmor R chips over a traditional front-illuminated CMOS sensor. To look at things another way, that's a 50% decrease in noise levels at the same sensitivity, given that in amplifying the signal from a less sensitive sensor, you're simultaneously amplifying noise at the same time.
In other areas, the Sony DSC-TX1 brings features previously seen in the company's popular HX1 model into a more compact body. Aimed at the fashion-conscious photographer, the Cyber-shot TX1 has a 0.7-inch thick body, and offers a sensor resolution of ten megapixels. The imager sits behind a prism-folded Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar branded 4x optical zoom lens which offers focal lengths ranging from a fairly ordinary 35mm wide angle to a 140mm telephoto. Maximum aperture varies from f/3.5 to f/4.6 across the zoom range. The lens has optical image stabilization, which along with the improved sensitivity should help with preventing blur from camera shake. For framing and reviewing images, the Sony TX1 offers a 230,000 dot 3.0-inch Clear Photo Plus LCD which is touch-sensitive, there being no optical viewfinder on this camera. The touch panel helps keep the number of controls on the Sony TX1 down to a bare minimum, with almost all interaction instead taking place directly on the display.
The Sony TX1 features Sony's Bionz image processor, and offers sensitivities ranging from a minimum of ISO 80 to a maximum of ISO 3,200 equivalent at full resolution. Burst shooting is possible at ten frames per second, and Sony has included a high-speed mechanical shutter that prevents the image distortion which can occur in cameras using an electronic shutter with high-speed burst shooting The DSC-TX1 has a maximum shutter speed of 1/1,250 second, while the minimum shutter speed is two seconds. The TX1 doesn't offer shutter/aperture-priority or manual modes, but does provide a good range of scene modes that offer some control over the look of images. An Intelligent Scene Recognition mode is also available, which can automatically select from a subset of nine common scene modes. Images are metered with multi-pattern, center-weighted or spot metering, and the Sony TX1 includes a nine-point contrast detection autofocus mode, and face detection capability. As well as using the location of detected faces when calculating exposure and focusing variables, the TX1 can trigger the shutter automatically when your subject is smiling and includes a dedicated Smile Shutter button for this purpose.
More unusually, the Sony Cyber-shot TX1 includes the ability to stack multiple images shot at high sensitivity into a single exposure with reduced noise. It's a feature we've seen in the company's previous DSC-HX1 model, but has been refined in the TX1 and is now able to detect and take account of subjects which have moved between shots, ensuring your subject remains sharp and clear in the foreground. The TX1 also includes Sony's Sweep Panorama function which automatically assembles panoramas from as many as 100 separate photos captured automatically, while you simply sweep your camera across the scene at the camera's direction. The TX1 is capable of horizontal panoramas covering as much as 185 degrees, or vertical panoramas with up to 127 degree coverage.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 is also capable of recording high-definition movies with sound at up to 1280 x 720 pixels (720p) resolution, with a rate of 30 frames per second. TX1 movies are saved with MPEG4 compression, and standard definition 640 x 480 pixel (VGA) movie recording is also possible. The Sony TX1 stores images on Memory Stick Duo or PRO Duo cards, or in a not-wildly-generous 11MB of built-in memory. Power comes from a 3.6V InfoLithium D battery, rated for a battery life of 250 shots per charge.
This product was added to our catalog on Monday 24 August, 2009.
